This Hip2Save.com Deal was hand-posted on Tuesday, September 11th, 2012 at 4:32 pm.

If you’re looking for a way to get rewarded while shopping, you may be interested in signing up for the Nielsen National Consumer Panel! As a panel member, the Nielsen National Consumer Panel will provide you with a hand-held scanner and every time you or members of your household shop, you’ll use the scanner to scan the bar codes on all of your purchases. You can even have your kids join in on the fun and scan all your items while shopping. Then, once a week, you’ll send in your purchase information and you’ll earn points, which are redeemable for electronics, household items, jewelry, toy, gift cards, and more.

Interested? Head on over hereand fill out the application and you’ll be on your way to becoming an NCP panelist! Keep in mind that not all areas may be needing panelists at this time, so you’ll need to first register to find out if they’re currently needing panelists in your area.

Side note, I know the National Consumer panel is not for everyone as I have heard good and bad reviews. However, lots of readers have signed up and been really happy with the program.

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59 Hip Readers Commented

dawn says:

td says:

while i appreciate collin giving us such amazing deals, i highly recommend Not to partake in this panel…its such a hassle to scan every single item, type in your coupon or discount, load it in etc. also, i am positive that this scanner cause my computer to start getting those “blue death screens” and i had to have my computer fixed…whats the name of the thing you do when you have to back up all your files and reset your entire hard drive?? anyway, couponing alone is time-consuming…and in my opinion this panel takes so much more effort that you can’t have a life ;) maybe some of you others were able to get more organized than me…!

Why did your scanner run through your computer? My scanner is an individual item connected completely separated from my computer. The two do not even relate. Scanning can be a hassle but it helps them report to manufacturers about pricing and helps them get a real effect on their products being sold. This in turn helps regulate our prices, because they see at what point we buy items at and our shopping habits. I think its a good program :)

Delia says:

I have been a member of the panel for about 8 yrs and I like it. It was time consuming to scan at first but once I got the hang of it, it takes no more than 5 min to input all the info and I do it as I put everything away. Now putting everything in its place is way more time consuming than scanning. No clue how the scanner would have been responsible for your computer issues since it sounds like it was something else that may likely have been the issue.

Hope says:

I agree. I had the scanner for a little while and ended up sending it back. It takes forever to earn enough points to get anything, definitely not worth the hassle. Only get this if you’re truly bored during the day and are looking for an outlet.

Jess says:

I really wish they would give potential panelists information about the rewards before signing up. I became a panelist but decided it wasn’t for me when I saw that it would take more than 5 years to earn a decent prize, such as a vacuum cleaner, and you had to scan every single item you purchased (including accounting for things like gas and eating out), and notate any sales or coupons used. I’m sure a lot of people like it. If you have the time I don’t see the harm in it, but it appeared to be very time intensive with very few rewards. Of course, I didn’t learn this until they sent me all the stuff that I sent back. They give you a prepaid label, so you can just ship it from your local UPS or post office if you decide it’s not for you.

Bonnie Lawhorne says:

Lynne says:

It really doesn’t take very long to accumulate points. I have been doing it for little more than 2 years, and was able to get a Step2 Kitchen (80,000pts I believe) for my daughter last year for Christmas. You start out earning around 150pts per week….the longer you are a member the more you earn. I’m up to 235 p/week, plus a bonus 500 for each consecutive week I send in info. They also email surveys a few times a month. Very easy 5-10 min surveys. Most are worth around 150 pts.
If you don’t mind spending an extra couple minutes scanning it’s really easy.

Rachael says:

I agree. I have done it for almost 2 years and just got my first reward-$25 itunes gift card. I can earn that much in a month with swagbucks ( http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/twoboystwogirls ) and way less effort. I have decided to return my scanner.

Amanda W says:

I won a $500 gift card through them and have only been a member for a year. I do have a hard time transmitting sometimes but after winning that I won’t give up. It came in a time of need which was amazing. :)

Amanda W says:

I take it as it’s like entering contests. You do all the work to enter various contests and if you don’t win… It takes less time doing NCP and it actually benefits something and you get points plus chances at tons of sweepstakes.

Ashley57 says:

Amanda, I think that is a good way to look at it. For those who see it that way, it seems interesting and a worthwhile cause. I also sent mine back – it was a lot of work for little payoff. It would have taken like a year to get a pizza cutter.

Laura E says:

H.M. says:

I do enjoy being a member. It was VERY time consuming in the beginning, but once you get the hang of it, it is not that bad. I was thinking about quiting, but decided not too. Soon my will be old enough to help me scan, and I think it will be something fun for us to do together!!

dama says:

I was part of NCP and I too, hated it. They were very pushy and even after I returned their equipment I got sent to collections. It took alot of calling around to get out of collections. Not worth it for me

Amy says:

I have been a member for a year and a half and still do not have enough points to get a decent prize. I scan weekly and do all the surveys. I try to always enter grocery store purchases so I don’t have to enter the price of each and every item. In my opinion it is very time consuming, I think I am going to keep going to get a decent prize ( might only be worth $30) and then stop scanning but right now it is just part of my weekly routine.

Lindseyac says:

Nicole says:

I have been a memeber for more than 7 years and i don’t find it that time consuming, I actually dont scan every single thing I buy, I just scan when I go to the grocery or drug store and putting away the items. I have won $1000 already. I continue because it’s not that bad and I am already prone to doing it.

Is that $1000 total over seven years? Because that amounts to $142.86 per year, or about $11.91 per month. Divide that by the number of hours you must work (shopping and scanning) each month, and that will give your hourly earnings. Now subtract the gas you spent getting to the store. Those “winnings” don’t seem so impressive when you break it down like that. You could earn more as a garment worker in Bangladesh.

Angela says:

From what i understand you are not expected to take extra trips to the store but add the scanning to your usual shopping routine. If I am understanding correctly that would mean you don’t have any extra expenses.

Trish says:

Your gas has nothing to do with anything. Your submitting trips that you’re already taking. It’s like found money. I don’t input every single transaction I make. I do just enough so that they don’t bother me and I still earn rewards.

Amber says:

Just be careful when you send the equipment back to them. When I decided the program was not for me (way too time consuming for the rewards), I followed their directions, took it directly to my local FedEx store, and had everything sent right back to them. Even though I had a confirmation number stating the package had been delivered, I then endured months of threatening calls and emails demanding that the equipment be returned or I would be sent to collections. I talked to/emailed numerous employees, but no one would listen that I had returned the package, and had a confirmation number to prove it. Finally, I had to send a threatening letter of my own on my own law firm stationary… and they magically “found” the equipment. I don’t trust them, but it might be great for some people.

AG says:

I was a member as well. There are so many better things to spend your time doing (paid surveys, secret shopper assignments, etc). I was a member for 2 years. In that time I cashed out for a $25 i-Tunes gift card and a skillet. I didn’t want or need either prize, but the prize offerings were so lame they were the best of the bunch.

Also, I have heard that SO many people have been threatened with collections or actually turned over to collections by NCP. Definitely keep your tracking number. I returned mine months ago and I still have the receipt in my filing cabinet just in case.

Their scanners are very outdated. Sometimes it took 10-12 tries to get my information to transmit to them.

If you contact customer service, they’re not very nice nor are they helpful. I regret sticking with it as long as I did.

Alicia says:

Donald says:

I been doing this for 2 years now got 39,000 points enough too get something worth 25.00 dollars. some people been here for 12 years and never won nothing so far. I see a;lot of people in calf, flordia wins alot. seen one woman win one month then again the following month. I think something is up. when someone been with them for 12 years and win nothing and then you got some one win 2 times in 2 months.

Dianne says:

tiffany kaye says:

I feel the same way, mine JUST shipped. Probably should have read all the VERY accurate posts before signing. How does one go into collections with this company? I see so many hassling with then NCP about ‘collections’?

Based on what I have read here and elsewhere, I will NOT be doing business with NCP. This company seems like a huge scam. Why waste so much effort and aggravation for so little reward? When you go shopping, pay with cash (bills only) and throw the change into a jar. In a few months (or less if you shop a lot), you’ll have collected $50 or more and it will feel like extra money that you didn’t have before. Much more satisfying than mucking about with a stupid scanner and getting ripped off for all your hard work. If you went to work for a company that made you work two years before paying you thirty bucks…wait, you would NEVER work for a company like that in the first place!

I just started this. Yes it is somewhat time consuming but once you get a system down to scanning your items it only takes 5 to 10 minutes. Yes, it may take a year to get something that costs about 150.00 but your getting it for free!!! How easier can they make it? I’m not really doing anything to receive something. Thanx NCP:)

Tia says:

I just got my scanner in today… Also read all the posts today… Personally I don’t go based on what people say anymore… I use to…. until I learned to see for myself… Everyone is different and some want more than others…. The fact of the matter is if you signed up and didn’t like it ok, don’t put the company down they gave you an opportunity …. it takes time to build point like on a rewards card come on common knowledge people…. For those of us that just received ours don’t put negative thoughts in our heads seriously, negative attracts negative not cool… Well I am individual I don’t follow others and I will soon see for myself what lays ahead of my scanning journey. If it takes months years what ever I signed up to give results I’m not just in it for “THE FREE STUFF” because with the common knowledge knowing “NOTHING IN LIFE IS FREE THERE IS ALWAYS A PRICE TO PAY… ” You have to think of the fine print …. what’s this going to cost me in the long run…. Even if there isn’t fine print there really is…. So I’m going to start my journey and mission to start what I signed up for….and I will be writing a blog about it ….

L says:

Hello-May I ask if you are still doing scanning? Have you gotten anything for rewards? I have one on the way…and am getting worried a bit. But I feel as you do-I don’t want to go off of negative opinions.

Linda LaVallie says:

Well, I just recently signed up for this, thinking it would actually be a lot of fun and my kids will probably get a huge kick out of scanning things in general. I don’t buy a ton of stuff, unless we’re counting groceries, and omg I did not think of groceries before reading these comments today. I buy a lot of food! I’m ignoring bad comments for now, because for example, I saw the same sort of comments about GiftHulk and have earned almost 100 dollars in gift cards with them in only maybe four or five months. Easy-peasy, same as Swagbucks, Inbox Dollars, etc – except this one actually gives you something fun to do besides drugding through endless surveys.

We’ll see how it goes, and I am grateful for all the advice about returning the equipment because I certainly don’t want to be sent in to collection for a darn scanner that I didn’t even buy!!

DEBORAH GRACE says:

waiting for my scanner this week..it’s not a job..with a reg paycheck..obviously a company that needs feedback..wow..might be worth the wait..u have to shop..put food away..make it fun, a game and collect the prize..hold out for something u need..and don’t put them down cuz they aren’t giving you a million bucks..sorry for your loss

Julie says:

Julie says:

I’m in the process of trying to get my points redeemed after 5 years! I suddenly received a letter in the mail that they are dropping me because of too many people in my “market” area, etc. In 5 years I never won a thing. Now they have locked me out of the website so I can’t go in and select my “gift” with my (over)281,000 points! A woman on the phone told me I had to send back my scanner then they would send me an email with a link to redeem my gift points. I told her that the letter said they didn’t want it back. You can see how they are already putting me off and trying to avoid letting me redeem 5 years worth of points! They said I have 60 days to redeem but they have yet to send me “the” email with the link to do it! I am still getting emails telling me to scan purchases, etc, tho!
It was becoming a hassle to send in scans because the scanner would not work with a cell phone. Had to be an older phone with a larger speaker to send the scan.. so I had to unplug my cordless phones & plug in a special old fashioned phone each time I wanted to send a scan in. Cordless phones will not work, nor will cell phones. Then there were the many items that would not scan and I had to type in the info. I shop a lot so this was becoming a real chore! Not worth the pennies I was “earning”.
The most expensive item in the gift catalog was probably worth about $400. After 5 years, I still did not have enough points to get it. And now this. I will update you to tell you whether I was able to redeem all those points or not. Right now, its not looking good.

Julie says:

I may have spoken too soon! I was able to make contact with the director through email and she gave me the link I needed to redeem my gift points. I then called the panel phone number and gave them the info they needed to order my gift. Should be here in 6-8 weeks. I chose an Apple Ipad mini with wi-fi. All in all, the company was good to me even tho I never won a prize and I probably would do it again if I had the time.

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Hi! I'm Collin...

I'm a young mom to three adorable kiddos, two boys and a girl, and have one amazing husband. We are a typical American family, struggling with finances, budgeting, and the challenges that come with raising children in today's fast-moving world.